Kids to get first shot at hunting turkeys

California's spring turkey-hunting season begins a week from tomorrow, but junior hunters this year will get a head start for a trophy gobbler or jake tomorrow and Sunday.

It's the Special Youth Turkey Season, a window of opportunity when a young hunter can join a mentor in the woods for an introduction to the incredible world of turkey hunting.

John King, past president of the San Diego Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, heard some grumbling from hunters who felt this hunt might affect scouting or disrupt dispersing flocks. But he said all hunters know hunts like this are important.

“These kids are our future,” King said.

The hunt is the result of a request to the state Fish and Game Commission last year from the National Wild Turkey Federation and the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance.

Juniors 16 and younger with a valid junior hunting license can also hunt two weeks after the general season ends. Same deal for archers. Both a hunting license and upland game bird stamp are required for adults. Juniors don't need an upland game bird stamp with their junior license.

The general season is March 28 to May 3. Shooting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to 4 p.m. The bag limit is one bearded turkey per day, and no more than three bearded turkeys during the general, archery and apprentice junior seasons combined. It's all on the honor system.

Wild turkeys were reintroduced to San Diego County in 1993 and have flourished despite drought and wildfires. Originally released on ranches – Eagle Peak and Canta Rana in Julian and the McCaw Ranch near Sutherland – the birds fanned in all directions.

Statewide, turkey hunting has become one of the more popular ventures. The Department of Fish and Game estimates the state's wild turkey population at 240,000.

In 2007, the most recent year recorded, the DFG's hunter surveys estimated that 27,500 hunters bagged 23,400 turkeys in the spring, an additional 7,000 in the fall.

There was a time when this county didn't produce 100 turkeys for hunters in the spring, but this year, several hundred turkey hunters will be successful om harvesting a wild turkey in San Diego County.

Ducks Unlimited: The San Diego Chapter of Ducks Unlimited holds its annual fundraiser tonight starting at 6 at the Double Tree Club Hotel in Mission Valley. Call Kevin Spawn at (619) 886-3587 for information. Tickets are $65 for a single, $110 per couple.

Big halibut: Dave Gray, founder of Huck-Fin, reports that Miles Teague, one of his star Huck-Fin students from Hilltop High, landed a 17-pound halibut Tuesday while fishing on the Daily Double out of Point Loma Sportfishing. Teague used 12-pound test line and baited a sardine for the big flattie.

Record trout: Greg Stotesbury of Mission Viejo landed a 22.6-pound rainbow trout at Irvine Lake to establish the new lake record. He used 4-pound test Berkley 100-Percent Fluorocarbon line and spring green and yellow Turbo Dough Power Bait.